Man shot in Caversham

People have spoken of their shock after a man was shot in the head in Caversham.

The 26-year-old, now seriously ill in hospital with gunshot wounds, was blasted at 9.30pm on Bank Holiday Monday in a block of flats in Mead Close, off Amersham Road.

Yesterday scenes of crime officers were at the scene which was sectioned off with police tape.

A mum-of-three, who did not want to be named, who lives in a house directly opposite the block of flats – just yards from where the incident took place – said she could not believe something like this could happen in Caversham.

“My six-year-old saw a splatter of blood running down the window,” she told the Post.

“I heard a big bang but I thought it was a firework. I went outside and my neighbour said someone had been shot.

“The row of houses I live in is quite a close-knit community. Prior to the shooting I had been popping in and out my house all night.

“Police told us it was a random shooting. But I counted at least 32 children living round here so it is worrying.”

Mead Close, run by housing association Windsor Housing, is a new development made up of a number of flats and houses in different blocks.

The homes were built at different times – the houses are nearly a year old, while the block of flats where the shooting took place is only a few months old.

The mum continued: “It was mayhem after the shooting. [This area] used to be quiet but we are seeing a lot of change. It has got more rowdy lately.”

A representative from Windsor Housing visited the flats yesterday. She said she was there to reassure residents, but would not elaborate.

Another resident, who lives inside the block where the shooting took place, and also would not be named, said: “There was a lot of screaming and blood and commotion.”

Ricardo Sousa, 27, who lives opposite the block, said: “We had just gone to bed when all of a sudden we heard a shotgun go off. Later on there was an ambulance and police.”

PC John Finnerty said at the scene: “This is an extremely rare incident. Caversham is one of the loveliest areas to live in Reading, and it is important for the local community to realise this is an extremely rare occurrence.

“There are police officers available to talk should any members of the community want to pass on information.”

Reading commander Superintendent Steve Kirk added: “There may well be a degree of pre planning to this incident, due to its nature and the fact that the person we believe may be the offender was in the area for up to five hours before the shooting.

“In that time he may have gone into a shop to buy something, or used a toilet so there may well be people in the area who have information that can help us with our investigation.”

Officers are keen to identify a man who was seen in the Mead Close area during the evening. He was wearing black clothing and was seated on a dark coloured motorcycle.